In recent years there has been increased awareness of the need to protect medical personnel from so called “sharps” injuries which are generally referred to as accidental puncturing of the skin caused by needle sticks from syringes needles (epidural, spinal, blood collection, catheter, dialysis, intravenous, ophthalmic, hormonal pen, radiologic) or from accidental cuts from blades, for example, scalpel blades. Sharps injuries can result in transfer of easily treatable infectious diseases as well as much more serious diseases such as HIV and Hepatitis from the patient to the medical personnel. Similarly, sharps injuries can transfer bacteria from the medical theatre to personnel. Damages resulting from sharps injuries can often be expensive in terms of the medical treatment provided to the health care worker as well as loss of work days both to the employer and the employee. The vast majority of sharps injuries will be work related and therefore subject to workman's compensation claims.
Sharps injuries can also be caused outside of the medical arena such as in research laboratories, by hobbyists working on projects and even in funeral homes. In view of the foregoing, it is desirable to provide systems and methods to eliminate or minimize opportunities for sharps injuries to occur.
In response to the foregoing problem, various solutions have been proposed. For example, numerous attempts have been made to devise a needle that retracts back into the barrel. Other systems have been devised wherein a cover is provided to shield the needle or a disposal device is mounted near the operating field that acts as a disposal unit. Another system as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,334,173 wherein the needle cap is adhered to a work surface and the used needle is inserted therein after use. Upon completion of the procedure, the entire assembly is then disposed. U.S. Pat. No. 5,498,242 discloses a medical needle sheath and stand for one-handed use. Notwithstanding the foregoing, none of the foregoing methods have been widely adopted in connection with dentistry since needles are often used for multiple injections on the same patient rendering single use disposal devices inadequate, Further, in dentistry it is common for the clinician to bend the needle in order to administer anesthesia.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, most preventable sharps injuries occur when a sharp instrument (scalpel blade, syringe needle) is recapped using the manufacturer provided cap in the case of a needle, is passed between personnel (in the case of a scalpel blade or needle tip) or when a sharps instrument is picked up. Thus, it would be useful to develop a protocol wherein the sharps safety apparatus is capable of being stored and/or moved in a completely protected environment, independent of the manufacturer provided cover.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a temporary instrument holder, sharps protector, passing aid, and safety transport apparatus for use in connection with sharps devices that is an improvement over the prior art.
It is another object of the present invention to provide an instrument holder, sharps protector, passing aid, and safety transport apparatus that is simple to fabricate and inexpensive.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide an Instrument holder, sharps protector, passing aid, and safety transport apparatus that will accept sharps devices of varying size.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide an improved Instrument holder, sharps protector, passing aid, and safety transport apparatus that will accept needles and particularly, bent needles.
It is another object of the present invention to provide an improve instrument holder, sharps protector, passing aid, and safety transport apparatus that will hold a needle used in multiple injections and which will not dull the needle tip or contaminate the needle.